Pouring plug preventing fraudulent filling of containers

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the capping of containers and its object is a pouring plug comprising an obturator subjected to magnetic attraction and to the action of two moving masses, this obturator being integral with a float which also forms an obturator by means of its lateral surface and which is calibrated in accordance with the considered liquid to prevent the fraudulent filling of the container.

United States Patent 091 Bereziat June 4, 1974 1 POURING PLUG PREVENTING 2,308,932 H1943 Pisani 215/20 F LE FILLING O CONTAINERS 3,673,655 3/1954 Greene .4 215/22 Inventor: Andr Bereziat, Lyon, France Assignee: Astra Plastique, Saint Georges De Reneins (Rhone), France; a part interest Filed: Oct. 12, 1972 Appl. No.: 296,937

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 14, l97l France .l 36917 us. Cl. 215/20, 215/22 Int. Cl 865d 49/06 Field of Search 215/18, 20 22 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/l9l7 Pine 215/20 Primary Examiner-D0nald F. Norton Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle 5 7 ABSTRACT This invention relates to the capping of containers and its object is a pouring plug comprising an obturator subjected to magnetic attraction and to the action of two moving masses, this obturator being integral with a float which also forms an obturator by means of its lateral surface and which is calibrated in accordance with the considered liquid to prevent the fraudulent filling of the container.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 2 all" I .5 1e 3 PATENTEUJuM 4mm 3 8 14 273 SHEETSUFS POURING PLUG PREVENTING FRAUDULENT FILLING OF CONTAINERS The problem consisting of preventing the fraudulent filling of a bottle or other container with a liquid different from that which it originally contained has always been important for protecting the consumer and the brand of the container and is also of fiscal interest when the bottle initially contains a liquid subject to taxes.

This problem has been dealt with in countless studies, but none of the solutions proposed up to the present time provides and absolute guarantee. This stems from the fact that the filling is opposed by means of gravity, using balls or other moving elements which are supposed to obturate the plug in the vertical or oblique position of the bottle. In fact, nothing prevents the liquid from being injected under pressure.

An object of this invention is a plug which effectively opposes the fraudulent filling of the container by the combined action of gravity and magnetic attraction. This plug comprises a magnetic obturator in the form of a lid subjected to the action of balls or other masses moved bygravity, for opening as well as for closing. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, this lid is integral with a float calibrated in accordance with the considered liquid so as to close the obturator if an attempt is made to inject liquid into the bottle when it is in a position in which the lid is open under the effect of one of the masses acting upon it.

To lower friction, it is advantageous to guide the balls or other masses moved by gravity by means of fins provided inside the plug.

For a better understanding of the invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section, to an enlarged scale, of a plug according to the invention in the upright position of the bottle before uncapping.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sections along II+II and III- III of FIG. I respectively.

FIGS. 4 to 6 represent an axial section of the plug shown in FIG. I in the successive position it occupies after uncapping and withdrawal of the cap, when the bottle is progressively inclined to pour the liquid which it contains.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are partial axial sections of two alternative embodiments.

According to FIG. I, the outer wall of the pouring plug comprises two parts fitted together a lower part 1 in flexible plastic force-fitted into the neck of the bottle and an upper part 3 in rigid plastic ending in a pouring collar 4 into which is engaged, by an inner flange 5, the removable plug 6 in flexible plastic. A top cap 7 covers this assembly while bearing on the flange 8 of the neck in the groove 9 thereof and in a groove 21 of the part 3.

In the part 1 is housed an annular part 10 which is extended downward by guiding fins 11. This part 10 fits into a soft iron ring 12 which co-operates with a plastic disc 13 containing, in a known manner, magnetic powder conferringa unilateral magnetism upon the disc. This disc 13 fits into a hollow sliding part 14 which is guided between the fins 15 of an inner lining l6, ending at its upper part in a closed truncated conel7. In the closed position of the lid 13, the part-14 is engaged,

with a small clearance, in the lower annular part of the part 16.

A freely moving glass ball 18 is housed in the space between this truncated cone 17, the top of the part 14 having the form of an opposite truncated cone, and the fins 15 whose profile corresponds to that of the slide 14 thereby allowing its axial movement.

The'lower end of the part 1 has the form of a cross 19 and a freely moving glass ball20 is housed in the space between this cross, the guide fins 11 and the magnetized disc 13. The lower part of the fins 11 is notched at 11a so as to form a seat for the ball 20 for a certain inclination of the bottle.

The plug thus arranged functions in the following manner:

In the upright position of the bottle (FIG. 1) the ball 18 applies the part 14, and consequently the magnetizedlid 13 against the soft iron ring 12. The part 14 is engaged in the annular part of the element 16. There is no possibility of liquid passing into the bottle after removing the cap 6. The magnetization of the lid 13 is oriented such that a powerful external magnet has no effect on it or, on the contrary, increases its application against the ring 12. Moreover, the edge 17a of the cone 17 and the upper inner edge 4b of the part 3 are shaped so as to form an annular baffle preventing the introduction of a wire or other similar instruments in a fraudulent attempt to lift the part 14 and the lid 13.

When the bottle is inclined progressively to pour the liquid it contains, the ball 18 falls into the truncated cone l7 and the ball 20 leaves its seat 19 to rest, firstly, in the notches 11a of the fins 11 (FIG. 4), and then fall quickly onto the lid 13. This impact has the effect of overcoming the magnetic attraction and of lifting this lid off its annular seat 12 (FIG. 5). As the bottle is further inclined, the assembly 14-13 falls by gravity and frees the passage between the parts 16 and 14. The liquid in the bottle can then flow freely according to the arrows (FIG. 6).

In this position, if a fraudulent attempt is made to inject liquid into the bottle, the hollow assembly l 4-I3 forms a float on this liquid and the lid 13 closes or-at least the part'l4 is inserted into the part 16, and-the small clearance between these two parts prevents any entry of liquid into the bottle and any exit of air.

The fraudulent removal of the plug by action on the top cap 7 is made impossible without its visible destruction owing to its crimping at 8 and 9 on the neck 2 of the bottle.

As shown in FIG. 7, the top 17 of the part 16 may have a slightly different form, the part 15a of the fins 15 which forms a stop for the part 14 being integral with a connecting ring 15b.

Moreover, the ball 20 may be replaced by an impact weight of any form, for example by a cylinder 20a (FIG. 8) whose weight may be sufficient to obviate the need for the notches 11a of the fins 11.

Finally, the lid 13 may consist of a simple strip-metal disc with unilateral magnetization.

The top cap 7 may also be replaced by a metallic ring crimped in the plug and on the neck' 2.

What is claimed is:

l. A pouring plug preventing fraudulent filling of a container, comprising an obturator which consists of a lid with unilateral magnetization, a soft iron ring cooperating with said lid, two movable masses acting on said obturator, one for closing and the other for open- ,3 4- ing, and a float integral with said obturator and calimasses are guided by fins. brated according to the considered liquid. 4. A plug according to claim 1, wherein a top cap is 2. A plug according to claim 1, in which the float also crimped in at least one groove of the plug and in at least forms an obturator by its lateral surface. one groove of the neck of a container.

3. A plug according to claim 1, in which the movable 5 

1. A pouring plug preventing fraudulent filling of a container, comprising an obturator which consists of a lid with unilateral magnetization, a soft iron ring co-operating with said lid, two movable masses acting on said obturator, one for closing and the other for opening, and a float integral with said obturator and calibrated according to the considered liquid.
 2. A plug according to claim 1, in which the float also forms an obturator by its lateral surface.
 3. A plug according to claim 1, in which the movable masses are guided by fins.
 4. A plug according to claim 1, wherein a top cap is crimped in at least one groove of the pluG and in at least one groove of the neck of a container. 